Method and device for producing pouch-shaped or pot-shaped parts and use of the parts for accommodating samples or the like

ABSTRACT

The production of pouch-shaped or pot-shaped parts is undertaken in two steps. In the first step, a film located above a die is pressed by a stamp into a cavity that reproduces the part and is subsequently pressed apart in the lower region of the cavity by deformation of the stamp in this region. The device has a rubber-like stamp that expands out on all sides once it has reached the bottom wall of the cavity and causes the film to conform to the shape of the cavity. The stamp is preferably designed in two parts, wherein a stamp insert is guided within a stamp guide and the stamp insert then has at least one deformable region. For removal of the formed film, provision is made that the die can be swung open.

[0001] This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on German Patent Application No. 101 59 462.3 filed in Germany onDec. 4, 2001, which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] For nearly daily monitoring of, for example, a patient's bloodsugar levels, the patient has a portable diagnostic unit or system. Inaddition to such a unit, an analytical indicator strip with anorientation index, which must be fed to the diagnostic unit by hand, isknown from DE 695 13 409 T2.

[0003] Conventional indicator strips, which must be separately fed, areunsuitable in the general effort to make execution of the overalldiagnostic process automatic and patient-friendly, i.e., withoutadditional effort on the part of the patient.

[0004] Consideration has been given to replacing the indicator stripswith well-like or pouch-shaped receptacles, which are made of plastic ora similar material in which a non-woven, spun-bonded fabric required forthe analysis is embedded to keep it from falling out.

[0005] DE 38 40 080 A1 discloses a packaging for small items in the formof a blister, wherein the blister consists of a deep-drawn film havingwells to accommodate the individual items. In this context, it would benecessary for the film to be glued in place, for example, to keep itfrom falling out, which can be a disadvantage for analytical evaluation.

[0006] For pouch-shaped or pot-shaped receptacles or the like, whichhave a narrower inlet cross-section than in the lower (receptacle)section itself, such a process cannot be used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide amethod and a device for producing pouch-shaped or pot-shaped parts,having a die with a cavity that reproduces the part, and also having astamp, wherein the stamp has a deformable material at least in theforward region.

[0008] Pot- or pouch-shaped parts have the characteristic that they havea first, narrower cross-section that adjoins a wider lower region. A dierequired for these parts is constructed accordingly.

[0009] The invention is based on the concept of producing these parts intwo steps, wherein in the first step, a film located above the die ispressed by a stamp into or through the narrow cross-section, andsubsequently is pressed apart in the lower region by deformation of thestamp in this region, thus conforming to the wider lower region of thedie.

[0010] As such, the device has a rubber-like pressure stamp that expandsout to all sides in the wider lower region of the die once it hasreached the bottom wall or floor of the die. For removal of the formedfilm, provision is made that the die itself can be swung open.

[0011] In a further embodiment of the invention, the stamp is designedin two parts, wherein it has a stamp insert that is guided within astamp guide. In this case, the stamp insert then has the deformablematerial at least in its forward region.

[0012] By this solution, even small-dimensioned pouches can be producedthat are made of very thin film material and have a small (first)diameter.

[0013] Such pouches or receptacles can particularly be used in medicaldiagnostics.

[0014] Since the present invention, however, is not limited to thisminiaturization, its use is also intended for other areas in whichconvex pouches, produced in such a manner, are required.

[0015] Further scope of applicability of the present invention willbecome apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter.However, it should be understood that the detailed description andspecific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of theinvention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changesand modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art from this detaileddescription.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The present invention will become more fully understood from thedetailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawingswhich are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitiveof the present invention, and wherein:

[0017]FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a pouch-shaped die that reproducesone of the receptacles;

[0018]FIG. 2a shows the die of FIG. 1, interacting with a stamp;

[0019]FIG. 3a is an enlarged side view of a pouch-shaped receptacle fora sample;

[0020]FIG. 3b is an enlarged top view of a pouch-shaped receptacle for asample; and

[0021]FIG. 4 is a top view of several manufactured receptacles formultiple samples.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022]FIG. 1 shows a die 1 with a pouch-shaped cavity 2. The die 1 ispart of a device (not shown in detail) that has preferably apneumatically driven stamp 3.

[0023] The die 1 comprises two blocks 1.1 and 1.2 that are separablefrom one another, preferably in the middle. The pouch-shaped cavity 2accurately reproduces the contours of a to be produced part 10, and hasa narrow inlet cross-section 2.1 and a wider lower region 2.2 that isformed by a side wall 2.3.

[0024] The method is described in detail using the process steps shownin FIGS. 2a through 2 c.

[0025] The stamp 3 comprises, in a preferred embodiment, an inner stampinsert 3.1, which is preferably guided in a metallic stamp guide 3.2.The stamp insert 3.1 comprises a deformable, preferably rubber-likematerial, at least in the forward region 3.1.1.

[0026] The stamp 3 is placed over the die 1 (FIG. 2a) on a thin film 4,for example a plastic film, which is to be pressed into the cavity 2 ofthe die 1. The plastic film 4, here a polyester or polycarbonate that isapproximately 100 μm thick (D), is then pressed into the inletcross-section 2.1, in the direction of the cavity 2 (FIG. 2b), by thefurther application of pressure solely to the stamp insert 3.1. Duringthis process, the outer edge region 11 of the film 4 molds itself to thecontour of the inlet cross-section 2.1. The diameter of the stamp insert3.1 is thus matched to the inlet cross-section 2.1 while taking the filmthickness D into account.

[0027] As a result of the further action of force on the stamp insert3.1, the forward region 3.1.1 of the stamp insert 3.1 is deformed suchthat it presses the film 4 against the wall 2.3 in the previously emptyspace in the lower region 2.2. The part 10 has thus attained itspouch-shaped or pot-shaped form.

[0028]FIGS. 3a and 3 b show a side view and a top view of a part 10 thathas been manufactured in this manner. The pouch-shaped part 10 has anedge 12 and a pouch-like convexity 13. Between the edge 12 and theconvexity 13, the outer edge region 11 has a radius R₁, which in thisembodiment is less than 90°, for example 85°. A radius R₁ of less than180° is also conceivable. For this purpose, for example, a largerdeformation region 3.1.1 should be provided on the die insert 3.1.

[0029] The ratio of the depth T of the part 10 to its own diameter d₁,and thus to the inlet cross-section 2.1 of the cavity 2, is preferably1:1. The depth T of the manufactured part 10 can thus be less than 0.5mm, or can be larger.

[0030] Such a part 10 can be used as a receptacle or pouch in medicaldiagnostics. A non-woven, spun-bonded fabric 15, that is located in thepart or the pouch 10 and can accommodate a sample (not shown in detail),is indicated only schematically.

[0031] The solution, however, is not limited to such small parts 10.

[0032]FIG. 4 shows a complete single-row or double-row film 20 withmultiple pouch-like parts 10. Here, too, the solution is not limited tothe embodiments shown. Thus, the manufacture of complete films 20 withthree or more rows is possible. To this end, the film 20 can betransported under the stamp 3, or the device can have multiple stamps 3(not shown in detail).

[0033] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that thesame may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regardedas a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all suchmodifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to beincluded within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for producing pouch-shaped parts by astamp, said method comprising the steps of: pressing a film, which islocated above a die of a part to be produced into a cavity of the dieduring a first step; and deforming the die, in a second step, bypressing the film against a wall of the cavity, such that the filmconforms to a lower region of the cavity.
 2. A device for producingpouch-shaped parts, the device comprising: a die having a cavity forproducing the pouch-shaped part; and a stamp having a deformablematerial at least in a forward region.
 3. The device according to claim2, wherein the stamp further comprises a stamp insert that is guidedwithin a stamp sleeve, wherein the stamp insert contains the deformablematerial in the forward region.
 4. The device according to claim 2,wherein the deformable material is rubber.
 5. The device according toclaim 4, wherein the deformable material is an elastomer.
 6. Apouch-shaped part, having a circumferential edge and a circumferentialconvexity, wherein a radius that is less than 180° is enclosed betweenthe circumferential edge and the circumferential convexity at an outeredge region.
 7. The pouch-shaped part according to claim 6, wherein theradius is less than 90°.
 8. The pouch-shaped part according to claim 6,wherein the thickness of the pouch-shaped part is less than 100 μm. 9.The pouch-shaped or pot-shaped part according to claim 6, wherein theratio of depth to diameter of the pouched-shaped part can be 1:1. 10.The pouch-shaped part according to claim 6, wherein a complete film isformed having a plurality of pouch-shaped or pot-shaped parts.
 11. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the pouch-shaped part is used as areceptacle for samples or fluids.
 12. The device according to claim 2,wherein the pouch-shaped part is used as a receptacle for samples orfluids.
 13. The pouch-shaped part according to claim 6, wherein thepouch-shaped part is used as a receptacle for samples or fluids.
 14. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the pouch-shaped part is used inmedical diagnostics, for which purpose a non-woven, spun-bonded fabricis placed in the pouch-shaped part.
 15. The device according to claim 2,wherein the pouch-shaped part is used in medical diagnostics, for whichpurpose a non-woven, spun-bonded fabric is placed in the pouch-shapedpart.
 16. The pouched-shaped part according to claim 6, wherein thepouch-shaped part is used in medical diagnostics, for which purpose anon-woven, spun-bonded fabric a non-woven, spun-bonded fabric is placedin the pouch-shaped part.